Nascar

[gajinoz]

Just remembered an incident from the last Bathust race. Every year there is a 1000 Km race at Bathurst. This is probably the most famous race track in Oz. It's actually a public road when they're not racing on it. Anyway, one of the V8s was coming down the main straight at somewhere near 300 KPH when a suicidal kangaroo decided to leap out and get a better view. The car collected it right on the front. Roo went about 20 metres up and cartwheeled about 100 metres through the air into the bush on the side of the track. Front of the car was substantially reshaped but somehow he made it back into the pits.

Weird things happen at Bathurst!

 

[wsyocum]

Whoa!
Sound like the deer...and the ocassional drunk race fan at Pocono...

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

Rat,
I'm sure you have a point, but I don't see quite what it is.
I could post pictures of every idiot who attends a major sporting event and they would be 10X worse than this guy who is guilty of nothing more than having a hairy back and being fanatical about Dale Earnhardt.
BTW, that "redneck" probably paid $300 or more for those Bristol seats and that's just for one of 36 races.
Let's see...an average of more than 125,000 live spectators per event...plans for a NASCAR track on Staten Island...sponsorship from lots of the companies in the Fortune 500...hmmm, someone finds it interesting.
Sorry bud, but people love it!

Hey- no need to get defensive- That was a pic that came up from a google search under the term nascar. I posted it because it is funny, not because I am trying to say it is a typical nascar fan or something(I should hope it isnt) You are the only one calling that guy a "Redneck"- dont put words in my mouth/keyboard. Alot of people would pay $300 or more to go and see Barbra Streisand perform as well. Again, I am not one of them, but to each his own.

My main beef with nascar, is the repetitive/boredom factor. IMHO, it would be alot more exciting if the tracks were complex and intricate instead of just travelling around in endless circles. The bottom line is- Nascar has become the Britney Spears of auto racing- Pop culture, heavily marketed, excessively regulated. And like it or not, a large percentage of Nascar Fans go to the track primarily to see the crashes.(I wonder how the drivers feel about all the ads for nascar that dont show any racing, only a 20 second montage of multiple crashes)

I would much rather watch vintage nascar races from the 50s-70s than any of the new races.
This has only been an expression of my Opinions, so try your best not to get ticked off about it, race fans.
Nascar shouldnt have started banning engines in the 60's (Chrysler Hemi, FORD SOHC 427)- now regulations have practically taken the car out of the whole equation- now the pit crew makes more of a difference and the cars are basically interchangeable.

Sorry bud, but people love it!

That goes without saying. I never implied otherwise. I grew up reading vintage car magazines, and I did watch Nascar- but this was before it became the pop phenomenon it is today. *Whew*- its good to rant sometimes!

Edit: BTW, I dont think you can get more dedicated and loyal as a fan than to shave a number into your back hair and pay 300 bucks for a seat to a race.

 

[Slatts]

Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are both very good racecar drivers. Personally I prefer Gordon though, but only because he isn't an unrepentant douchebag.

(Standing by for red chicklets )

HA! Stewart is unrepentent no doubt about it. That's part of the reason I like him. Gordon is a good driver is true, but it was good to see him finish back of the pack today and last week on the road course that he use to dominate. It was also kind of cool watching him get fleeced by the former Nascar girl he married. By the way, who won last week on the road course (with alot of turns and not at all circular) you ask? The unrepentent douchbag Tony Stewart.

No worries. No red chicklets from me. Just opinions and you know what opinions are like.

 

[uncle Alan]

HA! Stewart is unrepentent no doubt about it. That's part of the reason I like him. Gordon is a good driver is true, but it was good to see him finish back of the pack today and last week on the road course that he use to dominate. It was also kind of cool watching him get fleeced by the former Nascar girl he married. By the way, who won last week on the road course (with alot of turns and not at all circular) you ask? The unrepentent douchbag Tony Stewart.

No worries. No red chicklets from me. Just opinions and you know what opinions are like.

We all remember the blind men & the elephant,don't we ? Maybe if we could explore more elephant [watch other forms of racing] we'd become more tolerant of other people's preferences.
Never said I was smart but believe I have a bit of common.....

Uncle Alan

 

[Cindy Denning]

Afraid any racing other than NASCAR sings me a lullaby . I have watched it evolve from almost factory fresh automobiles to the sleek,safer machines of today.In our world it is # 1 but I am gentleman enough to not knock other forms of racing.
In the South if you don't like stockcar racing people give you questionong looks as if the lace on your underwear is showing.


Uncle [58 years experience ] Alan :grumpy:

You Got That Right Uncle Alan. You may as well buried South Carolina when Dale Sr. died, we like our Nascar.

 

[FullerH]

Gaj, we have a version of the Holden Monara(sp?) in this country, tricked out with silly scoops and spoilers and with the 6 liter Chevy "Mouse Motor", the famed small block V-8. They call it the Pontiac GTO.

 

[mycroftt]

My main beef with nascar, is the repetitive/boredom factor. IMHO, it would be alot more exciting if the tracks were complex and intricate instead of just travelling around in endless circles. The bottom line is- Nascar has become the Britney Spears of auto racing- Pop culture, heavily marketed, excessively regulated. And like it or not, a large percentage of Nascar Fans go to the track primarily to see the crashes.(I wonder how the drivers feel about all the ads for nascar that dont show any racing, only a 20 second montage of multiple crashes)

I would much rather watch vintage nascar races from the 50s-70s than any of the new races.
This has only been an expression of my Opinions, so try your best not to get ticked off about it, race fans.
Nascar shouldnt have started banning engines in the 60's (Chrysler Hemi, FORD SOHC 427)- now regulations have practically taken the car out of the whole equation- now the pit crew makes more of a difference and the cars are basically interchangeable.

I dunno, Rat. I watch just about every NASCAR race and the road course races are much more boring than the 'cookie cutter' ovals. There's usually only a single spot where a pass can be completed leading to lap after lap of "setting up" to make that pass. I'm not sure you are appreciating the differences between the ovals. The setups and stategy for flat ovals is far different than for highly banked ovals. You can't even use the same car for short track and superspeedway racing without the equivalent of a heart-lung transplant - suspensions, transmission, toe-ins, camber, tire pressures all have to be completely different. It's this almost limitless variation that makes NASCAR racing so fascinating.

My neighbor is a big football fan and he always gives me his "roundy, roundy" speech about how racing is so boring and he doesn't understand it - I usually respond with my own speech about all these guys that "first they go to the left - then they go to the right" and I don't understand how anybody could watch it.

I agree that the fascination with "parity" has taken a lot of the interest out of the sport. Used to be that "What won on Sunday sold on Monday" as everybody had to run out and get a Hemi or a 409. Now there's not a single stock nut or bolt in those machines.

 

[gajinoz]

Gaj, we have a version of the Holden Monara(sp?) in this country, tricked out with silly scoops and spoilers and with the 6 liter Chevy "Mouse Motor", the famed small block V-8. They call it the Pontiac GTO.

That's interesting. The Monaro has been a popular sports car in Oz for quite a few years. Here is what it looks like in Oz.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

I agree that the fascination with "parity" has taken a lot of the interest out of the sport. Used to be that "What won on Sunday sold on Monday" as everybody had to run out and get a Hemi or a 409. Now there's not a single stock nut or bolt in those machines.

True, but now, they advertise everything under the sun and more- real money to be made for sponsors. The only "stock cars" I can think of offhand are the lowest classes of rally and drag cars.

The interest that has been lost among some fans has been replaced by a new generation of "lowest common denominator fans"- these are the people they attract with the promise of many crashes and lots of beer.

 

[Slatts]

We all remember the blind men & the elephant,don't we ? Maybe if we could explore more elephant [watch other forms of racing] we'd become more tolerant of other people's preferences.
Never said I was smart but believe I have a bit of common.....

Uncle Alan

I'm sure there's a moral lesson you're trying to convey, but I really don't remember this story. Did the elephant have four scuffs, a steering wheel, and 800hp under his trunk?

 

[uncle Alan]

I'm sure there's a moral lesson you're trying to convey, but I really don't remember this story. Did the elephant have four scuffs, a steering wheel, and 800hp under his trunk?

None of the above. It had 4 stand downers 2 ivory spears ,a snorkel & a wishy-washy....




Actually each blind man grasped a different part of the elephant. One felt it's side & said it was like a wall ,another grasped the tail & said a rope,another the snout & likened it to a snake. Each had a part of the picture.


Point was; We should watch whatever others like to get a better understanding of their sport----give it a chance-don't condemn it.


This whole thing is... 5 percent wit
10 percent grit &
85 percent bull- - - -.






Regatds, Uncle Alan

 

[wsyocum]

Rat,
If you want to talk semantics, you are just as guilty as I. Your very first post was 'NASCAR is the least interesting of all the racing' followed by the puking smiley. You didn't qualify it by adding IMO or the like.
You then proceeded to follow up by stating every NASCAR stereo type there is...people go to see the wrecks etc. I'll give you credit for at least qualifying those w/ IMHO.
I don't want to get into a pissing match, but those were surely thinly veiled digs and you are a good 'bait and switcher'. Again, IMHO, of course.
The reason you see all the regulation is that they are trying keep the 'spirit' of the moniker 'stock car' racing. They don't allow every souped up, concept engine or new fangled idea to be placed in/on the cars in order to keep the series from becoming a Formua 1. The costs to field a Cup or Busch team are already astronomical as it is...an you imagine if they opened it up to be a technology race?
They even took away Pettys Superbird because he kept lapping the field.
The equal playing field allows the true determining factor to be the driver...at least in theory. Either that or whoever has the most ingenious...read: sneaky...mechanic or crew chief
Sure, there really isn't much stock about a NASCAR stock car, but the fans still can identify with Taurus, Monte Carlo, Charger etc. Not necessarily so with a tricked out fin covered F1 or Indy car macine. Also, there is no computer controlled driving i.e traction control etc..Each manufacturer still uses their own variation of engine. Yes there are parameters they must follow, but it's up to the engineers to tweak it to better than the next guys w/in those parameters. And shoot, they still run with carburators.
Heck, I like all types of racing and take each for what they are. If it goes fast, I like to watch it...cars, trucks, bikes, horses, dogs...I just happen to like NASCAR best. What those guys do with those cars under racing conditions is to me, absolutely incredible.

 

[akjon]

To no one's surprise, I just don't get NASCAR.

Round and round and round they go. Driver personalites that wouldn't be particularly interesting in a soap opera, much less when your job is driving around in circles. The cars are cool enough if you like advertising, but they don't do much except go around in circles. Did I mention I'm hung up on this going around in circles thing?

Plus all the fans are hairy ape rednecks with the number 3 shaved onto their backs. I've seen pictures!

 

[uncle Alan]

To no one's surprise, I just don't get NASCAR.

Round and round and round they go. Driver personalites that wouldn't be particularly interesting in a soap opera, much less when your job is driving around in circles. The cars are cool enough if you like advertising, but they don't do much except go around in circles. Did I mention I'm hung up on this going around in circles thing?

Plus all the fans are hairy ape rednecks with the number 3 shaved onto their backs. I've seen pictures!

People that have too much sense for one person don't have enough sense for two .






Uncle Alan

 

[Slatts]

None of the above. It had 4 stand downers 2 ivory spears ,a snorkel & a wishy-washy....




Actually each blind man grasped a different part of the elephant. One felt it's side & said it was like a wall ,another grasped the tail & said a rope,another the snout & likened it to a snake. Each had a part of the picture.


Point was; We should watch whatever others like to get a better understanding of their sport----give it a chance-don't condemn it.


This whole thing is... 5 percent wit
10 percent grit &
85 percent bull- - - -.






Regatds, Uncle Alan

Okay, Uncle Alan. I now remember the story, but how the heck is that story analogous to my good-natured bashing of Jeff Gordon? I think all types of racing are cool and never said otherwise. You might try reading more closely next time.

 

[uncle Alan]

Okay, Uncle Alan. I now remember the story, but how the heck is that story analogous to my good-natured bashing of Jeff Gordon? I think all types of racing are cool and never said otherwise. You might try reading more closely next time.

Excuse my manners/oversight.
I must be O'D ing on barometric pressure. Don't think it's the lunar phase because these rains extinguished the moon weeks ago.I find no fault with bashing Jeff.
We older fans resented his meteroric rise,eclipsing our good ' ol boys.I believe only King Richard had a winning streak like his. Give him this,he seems able to diagnose the problems while he is driving & tell the crew what to to to correct them. Initally I figured they were champion cheats but now...... Well, they could have ,right ? It is said Dale could see air currents. He didn,t say it but his rivals did.
Guess the same snake bit Junior too but he shook it off Sunday,big time.

Uncle Alan

 

[Cindy Denning]

Darlington, SC raceway and one of the toughest races. As I remember Jeff Gordon and Earnhardt Jr. say they did not like the shape or the roads on this track, I mean they were mad! Neither won anyway, Earnhardt Jr. even said he'd buy the ractrack and repave it himself! That's when the cussin' streak was costing him money, heck, I think they all agreed to agree with him this time! #3Dale did say a bad word by the way.

 

[OwenM]

Ever pay attention in traffic-you guessed it, along with the handicapped tags, it's the ones with NASCAR #s on the window or whereever who seem to be the absolute worst drivers. I see it every day. These are the people who can't keep it in their lane, who poke around the passing lane and can't maintain a constant speed, who are inconsiderate, and sometimes dangerous. From what I've seen, they can't drive-simply can't function on blacktop.

Hence their fascination with another man's ability to drive around an oval over, and over, and over, IMO.

Sure, there are plenty of people out there who can't drive worth a crap, but the # on the window is a consistent warning sign.

 

[Cindy Denning]

Owen, I am one of those people who really drive like that on the interstate. I pretend it's a racetrack too and I never do the posted MPH. I have a Chevy Truck. I don't have a race car drivers number on it but I can't make myself stop except for hazordous conditions. Guilty here but am careful as far as looking out for everybody else. Can't drive 65 or 75. Racelady